Armored Core 2: Ballad of Forsaken Shadows
by BioHazardEx
Summary: Written several years ago, editted, and re-posted
1. Prologue

Prologue Armored Cores, weapons of mass destruction created by a post apocalyptic humanity. They stand tall above their enemies, carrying weapons capable of leaving entire cities wasted. Piloted by men and women known as Ravens, they are the most well known, and feared people in the Universe. In their battles lie many stories, yet few as tragic as this.....  
  
Sacri Axez, now he was a Raven for the ages. He was an honest man, who would always give his enemies a chance at life. He could never bring himself to shoot at civilians. But still, he had many enemies. His skill made him capable of being a Nine-Breaker, yet he never left his rank of thirteen. He said he would when he felt like it, but He never got that chance.  
  
August sixth, Earth Year 245, a day that shall be written in the history books as the moment the entire world changed. Earth, St. Jurgeville, one of the first cities to rebuild after the Great Destruction. Amongst the rubble of the city, a church was left untouched by the massive damage around it. The corporations had been at war for the last seventy-one years now, and with this discovery, all wanted to claim it. Zio Matrix, Emeraude, Belena. Sacri Axez. All had their reason for being there that day. Sacri Axez had called out to others for aid in protecting the city from the blood thirsty corporations. Only three others arrived to his aid. One of them was Leos. 


	2. Chapter 1: Rising from a Grave

Chapter One: Rising from a Grave "The weather is nice today. Perhaps if we're lucky the companies will decide it's too nice a day to die and go out for a picnic or something." Sacri joked to himself, but no one found it funny. One of the men had known him for years, but not once had he joked. Except when he though he was going to die. And they all did. None of them wanted to back out of this fight, for they feared only one thing more than death, the thought of being called a coward.  
  
Sephiroth Barb was one of those men who showed up. He was rank fourteen, just under Sacri. He is a ruthless man, killing all those who stand in his way. He was well known for going on rampages for no good reasons, killing military and civilian personnel a like, until he finally calmed down, no Raven alive would be capable of stopping him.  
  
The next man to join them was Matthais. He was a newbie, but a good pilot nonetheless. He armed himself with the best equipment he could afford, and commonly found himself in Sephiroth's shadow.  
  
Then there was a young man, only eighteen years old. His name was Leos Peceak.  
  
Then it happened. The first enemy jet came into sight. It was a Balena plane, and it had set its sights on the Raven. Matthias was the first to fire. He sent his kawakawa off in sort of a symbolic way; it blazed through the air and struck the plane. The plane exploded into a million small pieces, engulfed in flames.  
  
And then so the battle started. A legion of well armed, well trained, kill machines, all against four towering mechs. They all felt that it was over before it started, at least. Sacri became suddenly grim and his overboost charged up, sending him towards the first MT to be destroyed. His blade lit up and sparkled with energy as it gashed through the cold steel of the MT, its reactor exploding into a ball of fire. This is how it would begin. The start of the battle lasted only a few minutes, but each minute was an eternity in its own. Each shot seemed like it would be the last, the one that would finally claim their life, yet none ever came so close. Then, it came to a stop for them. The battle hadn't even gone a quarter of the way through, and only six minutes had passed, and the Ravens had been surrounded....  
  
"Sorry guys, I guess this is it. I never should have gotten you mixed up in this. It was my mission, I'm sorry." Sacri lower his head in the cockpit, as Leos' image appeared on his screen.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, you didn't get us mixed up in this. You were the one paying us, remember, we knew the risk." Leos tried to make him feel better, but nothing could change his mind. He knew in his mind though, he did feel as if Sacri was guilty.  
  
".......You can't tell me I'm going to die this way, me, Sephiroth, the man who deserves to be Nine-Breaker more than the worthless Alex Gurge!" Sephiroth screamed at the enemies, as an explosion came from behind the enemy lines. The other corporations had arrived! The Belena troops where still larger in number, but they where exhausted, and the Zio Matrix and Emeraude troops tore through them.  
  
"Perfect, now we might stand a chance." Matthais muttered under his breath, but he was more than right. Suddenly, dozens of pods began dropping from the sky six kilometers away from the battle field, steam emitting from them as the shells feel of, the General Forces Elite emblem on the side, but they where not alone, hundreds of more pods continued to fall, from all different clans and organizations.  
  
The lights glared as overboost functions where turned on, the armored cores flying towards the battle field, a transmission coming over to Sacri. "Hey, did I miss anything?" It was the Raven known as Alto Akuma. His AC, Cinder, thrust into the center of the Zio Matrix forces, arming its blade, as it tore through MT after MT, the blade slicing them in half, numbers at a time.  
  
"Hey we just figured you may need a little help, it's about time we Ravens showed what we can do anyway!" And so the battle turned in the favor of the Ravens again, as each hour past, in a balance with the last six minutes, in what seemed like seconds.  
  
As it was all over, the Ravens stood in triumph over the corporations, the first four competitors, each with their AC battered and damaged. Sacri then opened up with a speech, thanking all the ravens that had put aside their rivalries, even is just for one day. "Thank you all, you made this day an important one for us as soldiers. From now on we can..... Shit." He cursed as a spike of energy crashed through the torso of his mech causing it to explode in a burst of energy. The end of that blade belonged to Sephiroth. He and Matthais began a rampage through the Ravens, trying to escape in the confusion.  
  
"Heh, mission objective complete, target destroyed, returning to base." Sephiroth reported to whoever was listening.  
  
A black AC named El Negro appeared in front of Sephiroth, the pilot taunting him. "You monster, you cannot defeat me!" Sephiroth sliced through the fool, continuing. Sephiroth and Matthais overboost systems popped up, as everyone else was left with a blank stare, the pair of Ravens escaping from the battlefield.  
  
"What... what just happen? Sacri? Sacri?!" Leos began to feel lost in a deep pit, everyone around him going into the same state of shock. 


	3. Chapter 2: Desert Man

Chapter Two: Desert Man "This is Raven Infinite, mission complete, returning to base. Hey, Rachel, when I get back, you want to go out for something to drink, and maybe later we can..." A young man spoke through his comm. in the cockpit of his mech, standing in front of a mangled armored core.  
  
"Get a life Raven." A woman said back to him.  
  
One year had passed since the battle at St. Jurgeville. Life had gone on as if nothing had happen, yet everyone still remembered the names of Sacri Axez and Sephiroth Barb. The last Nine-Breaker had been beaten by some upstart newbie named Aries. Leos had gone on his life as a mercenary, and received Sacri's last armored core as a gift from the widowed Mrs. Axez. He had become sponsored by a small company named Magitech, and joined their Special Forces team. He quickly ascended through their ranks, and became leader of their squadron.  
  
Leos yawned as he walked through the hallways of Magitech's flagship, people just looking at him friendly, calling him Raven Infinite. "Idiots, Raven Infinite, who ever thought up such a stupid name?" He was now a grown man, despite only a year had passed. He had a reddish brown hair, with large blue eyes. His skin was lightly tanned, with a scar on the back of his neck which he got during that battle a year ago. He stepped into his quarters, falling face first onto his bed, turning around, looking up at the posters of all those beautiful women he dreams about.  
  
He put his hand up in the form of a plane, moving it as if it was flying. Quickly, a light little knock came from the door. He quietly stood up and opened the door. There stood in front of him a young woman with blonde hair, large green eyes, and small, cute little glasses. "Hello, Leos." The young woman looked up at his face, smiling. "Raven, it seems you have got a new mission."  
  
"For your next mission, you and your squadron will need to travel to Mars for a raid on a terrorist organization's camp. Be warned, their leader and two of his companions are all ex-Ravens. The location of the attack will be at Falna Crater at twenty four hours. The targets are as follows; Former Raven Sephiroth Barb......" She is suddenly cut off a Leos shouted out in surprise.  
  
"What! Did you just say Sephiroth? The man who killed..." Leos was amazed that Sephiroth could still be alive, even though he knew he shouldn't have been surprised. After one year, Leos got a chance at revenge. "Yeah, it is that Sephiroth. And I'm sure you know one of the other men, Matthais. The other is Leon Kalias. You may have heard about the Mars Civil Commotion. Leon Kalias was the man that killed the leader of that coup attempt and although the Government revealed he had died, he was actually captured by remnants of the Frighteners, and he later formed them into his own terrorist unit." She nodded her head as she spoke.  
  
"Mars it is then." Leos shot her a smile as he fell back down onto his bed.  
  
The air over Falna Crater became deathly quite as the AC transport passed over head, a bonfire below it with six armored core standing around it in a circle, all in standby mode. "This is Raven Infinite, ready to drop; I'll be back soon enough." "This is War Lord, I'm going down." "This is Lizard Man, I'm going home." "This is Frightener, I'm going down, love you babies."  
  
At that moment, four Armored Cores dropped from the sky, landing behind the derelict space ship in the center of the crater. As they land, a recoil is sent up the cold steel of the armored cores, their feet kicking up the sand beneath them. The Armored Cores thrust around the ruined cruiser. "Hey Leos, Raven Infinite, from what I heard, this Sephiroth guy it pretty powerful. Any idea how tough he is?"  
  
The pilot speaking to Leos was Reptyle, a well known arena Raven who had become in debt after winning it big, but getting drunk and spending it all and then some when he went gambling. "He is more powerful, than any of us can ever hope to achieve." Leos whispered under his breath to Reptyle.  
  
"Oh, okay." Reptyle felt a little confused and threatened, as a missile hit his AC in the back of the head, knocking it forward into the ground.  
  
At that moment, a small red bleep appeared on an enemy MT's radar. "Huh, our enemies are here already?" Sephiroth, Matthais, Leon, Jiro, the enemy is, the enemy is- fuck, it's coming this way!" As the pilot sent the message to his superiors, a bolt of energy streaked across the sky, hitting it, disintegrating it into nothing but dust and shrapnel.  
  
"Crap, the enemy, they know were here, so much for the element of surprise!" War Lord, actual name Gret Forge, an old military ace called out to his friends as a confused Leos held a smoking Karasawa.  
  
"We might as well attack them all out then." The old Frightener member Remillie found herself a perch upon the forsaken ship. When, all of a sudden, a shadowy thrust from below Remille, causing her to explode into rubble. As the Armored Core lands, it is revealed to be a Raven, Jiro. His fiery quad legged monster rolls along the ground back into the shadows.  
  
"No!" Remillie screams for her life as she is engulfed into flames and incinerated.  
  
"Heh, burn, fire." Jiro stands in front of the pieces of the AC, admiring his work. Jiro is a pyromaniac who loves the taste that he gets when he kills.  
  
"Damn, Remillie is dead! Everyone scramble!" Leos yells, but everyone just ignores him and his allies began to circle around Jiro.  
  
"Seems they have hired a Raven as well? Damnit!" Gret is cut off as Jiro slams into him, knocking his AC to the ground. In a rush, Gret fires off a series of shots up at the violent Jiro, slapping the Raven in the face. At the moment, a pair of overboost extensions rise from a core, sending Leos' favorite armored core, Arch-Nemesis into the center of the camp, equipping its chain gun, as it enters the center of the terrorist's camp, locking onto the pair of Muscle Tracers, as it puts it knee to the ground and places several shots into their back, causing them to explode in a fiery mess.  
  
"We got no more reason to be here, Matthais, Leon, Jiro," Sephiroth barks order to everyone.  
  
"Ahhhh!" Sephiroth is cut off as an emergency message comes from a dying Jiro, a blade cutting off the upper torso of his AC, the beam of energy meeting from Reptyle's left arm.  
  
"Make that Matthais and Leon, let's get out of here!" The triplet of Armored Cores' overboost functions come to life, the Armored Cores blasting out into the sky, retreating from the battlefield. 


	4. Chapter 3: Walking through the Night

Chapter Three: Walking through the Night "Crap, first mission failed in years, I don't believe this." Rachel sat over in her stool, a shot glass of pure vodka in her hand.  
  
She listened to the beautiful music in the background. As it stopped, the saxophone player walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Maybe you haven't noticed, but your the only woman in this building, shouldn't somebody be with you, it's dangerous?"  
  
In a far distance off from the quiet bar, the sound of metal hitting metal was evident in the Nerves Concord Arena where Leos was watching a newbie pilot get his ass handed to him on a silver platter by a Raven who goes by the name Werehound. "Humph, we Ravens are starting to get worse and worse these days, with legendary pilot retiring and dying, it's a wonder how we will end up." At that moment, a flash came from the arena, as Werehound's AC burst into flames, the pilot screaming in fear for his life.  
  
The newbie pilot held his blade out, the pilot in the core, with a confused look on his face. "Did I do that?" The pilot thought to himself as he could hear cheers from the arena fans outside the arena.  
  
A small boy walked up to Leos and tapped him on the shoulder gently, as the young pilot spun around and grabbed his hand with a jerk. "Yeah, what is it?" The pilot pulled on the little kid's arm.  
  
"Please, you're hurting me." Leos shoved the boy's arm away. "Mr. Peceak, it seems Samsara has challenged you, do you except?"  
  
Leos looked away for a moment and thought back at last time he fought the 'Bully'. He had been nearly killed as his enemy's armored core tore through Arch-Angel's armor. He then turned back to the kid with a smile and yelled out. "I'll fight him." The kid then asked which Armored Core Leos would use. Leos smiled and calmly said. "I'll use Sacri Axez Kia."  
  
Back at the small bar, the saxophone player sat down on the stool next to Rachel and put his arm around her. "Its all right, you don't have to worry about me." The man spoke to her in a reassuring voice, but she began to get nervous as she forced his arm off of her.  
  
"If you mind, I really do like protecting myself." She shivered as he shot her a glare when she removed his arm. Suddenly, he placed his lips against hers and forced her into him. In a couple seconds, she broke away from him and gave him a nice slap.  
  
"You're, you're an ass hole! You make me sick, pervert!" She shouted at him as a pair of men stood up from their bench. They were the Ravens, Collider and Vyse.  
  
"Just shut up and come with me!" The man screamed at her and drew a gun, putting it to her head; suddenly the room became deathly quite.  
  
"Excuse me sir, but are you bothering this young lady?" Collider poked his head over the man's shoulder and spoke to him. As the man turned to look at him, Collider slammed his fist into the guy's face.  
  
Back at the arena, Leos stepped into the cockpit of his master's death present, a heavy weight AC armed with a grenade cannon, pulse cannon, and bazooka. It stepped into the light blue arena, another heavy weight armored core already there. It was armed with a reinforced shotgun, a multimissile launcher, a large rocket pod. For a left arm though, it sacrificed a sword for a shield. This caught Leos' attention. As soon as the bell rang, the Sacri Axez Kia's overboost pods appeared and dashed the heavy weight straight toward his opponent. Leos' disk blade light up as he landed in front of the confused enemy, landing a shot of the blade into his enemy's chest. But Samsara weakness wore out quick as he put his knee to the ground and the missiles rolled over his shoulder. Caught off guard, Leos AC was trashed with rockets as he fell back into the distance of the arena.  
  
There, as the Bully recovered from its recoil, the pulse cannon on Sacri Axez Kia's shoulder were activated. The energy shots shored through the air towards it target, placing several shots across the armored core's body. In an attempt to get closer and get off a shot with his shotgun to finish the match, Samsara activated his overboost engines. As the turbines powered up, the grenade launcher was armed by Leos, the massive AC came daringly closer, and then began to lift off the ground. In a flash, a blast of fire and a shock of the shotgun, an explosion came from Samsara's armored core as the grenade plowed into it, the Bully flying across the arena engulfed in flames.  
  
In the bar, as the Leon stood up from the ground, a driblet of blood squirmed down his face. A smirk flashed to Collider, as a fist was slammed into the Raven's. Vyse's fist flew towards the man's face, only to find air where his target once was, as a hand rise from beneath him, his chin snapping with enough force to dent a stone wall. The second raven then lifted into the air as time seemed to stop, falling back to the ground unconscious. Behind the saxophone guy, Collider picked up an empty stool, lifted it into the air and tried to slam it into the man's back, as the man ducked the swing, jumped into the air and kicked Collider in the face.  
  
As Collider fell to the ground, the man grabbed Rachel's hand, gripping it tightly, as he flung her and himself out the door. As Collider and Vyse got up, Vyse asked a simple question. "Who the hell was that guy anyway?" He rubbed the back of his neck as he stood up and stretched out, a cracking noise coming from his back.  
  
"That was Leon Kalias; he used to be a Nine-Breaker. I also heard rumors he was the one that killed Leos Klien." Collider scratched the back of his head, then dashing off into the night. Vyse followed him right after.  
  
As the men walked through the streets, a cold chill passed over them. The night seemed silent, but the sound of yelling and screaming came from all about. A warm steam evaporated into the air from a gutter. Suddenly, a man wearing a leather bra and panties stepped out from the shadows towards the men, speaking to the Ravens. "Hello buddies, need a little company, you seem lonely..." The cross dresser tried to tempt the men, a sickening cough coming from Vyse.  
  
"Eh, NO THANK YOU!" Collider's voice was weak and nervous, but he continued on. "Perhaps you've seen a man walk by here with a woman." Collider's question seemed a bit acquired, but the man with black lip stick and a yellow wig answered him.  
  
"Yeah, a couple just ran by here and into that alley over there. The bitch was kicking and screaming like all hell had broken loose, but you shouldn't be interested in them with me around." The man answered.  
  
"Uh, thanks allot." Vyse yelled out to the man as they ran down the street and into an alley, where Collider stood silent over Rachel, alone.  
  
She was crying and her panties where down by her legs. "He, he touched me." 


	5. Chapter 4: Wicked City

Chapter Four: Wicked City The arena. A cold area of combat where escape is impossible, and it is killed or be killed. This is life as a Raven.  
  
The battle arena felt empty except for a man standing in the center of this holy ground. Flashbacks of his past battles ran through his mind in there, as a person stepped up to him. "Leos, it's getting late, you should go to sleep."  
As Leos laid into his bed, the sound of people still running about outside his room was still as loud as it was during the afternoon. As Leos laid into his bed, the sound of people still running about outside his room was still as loud as it was during the afternoon. Suddenly an alarmed sounded as an explosion rocketed from the arena. Leos suddenly shot up as someone burst through his door open. "Raven, get up, their here, the New Age Frighteners are here!" The man yelling at Leos was another pilot named Jinzou. At the arena, Sephiroth and his lackeys had blasted a hole into the roof of the arena, as three Armored Cores and ten Muscle Tracers fell with the rain through the air to the stone ground of the arena. An AC thrust from the sides of the Arena, its pilot the special plus pilot Evion.  
"Leon, you get that rookie, he shouldn't be too much of a problem for your, skills. Matthais, you go after the target, I'll support the Muscle Tracers." Sephiroth sat in the cockpit of "Leon, you get that rookie, he shouldn't be too much of a problem for your, skills. Matthais, you go after the target, I'll support the Muscle Tracers." Sephiroth sat in the cockpit of masterpiece AC, Kiss the World Good-bye, barking orders to his comrades.  
  
"Sounds like a plan." Leon, lowered his head as he spat at his comment, the overboost systems readying themselves on the back on his AC, Phobos' Disorder. Out of the blue, an Armored Core rammed into Leon's side as he began his overboost. The AC was the Collision MK II, the AC piloted by a man going by the name Collider.  
"So, you must be Leon." "You're the one who raped that woman." Collider scoffed the pilot of the Frightener AC, as his combat situation increased in danger, he and Evion "So, you must be Leon. You're the one who raped that woman." Collider scoffed the pilot at the Frightener AC, as his combat situation increased in danger, he and Evion fighting Leon at full force yet to no avail. "I don't know what you're talking about!" Leon yelled to the pilot as his blade skimmed the side of the Collision, but he knew what his enemy was talking about in the back of his mind. Evion thrust towards his opponent as Leon lifted into the air, looking down on his enemies, his missiles gaining a lock onto Collider. As Collider's AC moved gracefully between the barrages of missiles, his muscles began to tighten, as a missile struck down on to the AC. "Damnit, the drugs, there wearying off!"  
Jinzou's armored core Biohazard stepped through the hall ways of the arena, approaching the main battle dome, he look curiously at the burning Armored Cores. Jinzou's armored core Biohazard stepped through the hall ways of the arena, approaching the main battle dome, he look curiously at the burning Armored Cores. When he came upon one still activated. It was Heaven's Fist, piloted by a Raven known as Vagrant Savior. "Zauf, Zauf are you all right?"  
  
The cyborg pilot screamed at the man through his comm., a bit of static coming through before the man answered. "Yeah, yeah, I'm all right. But, but the Angel of Death, Samuel, he is coming, he is coming!" Jinzou look at the armored core strangely, as a shot ringed out from down the hall. An explosion burnt its way through the armor of Heaven's Fist, Biohazard thrusting away from it.  
  
There at the end of the hall stood an Armored Core colored black as night, except for a blood red core. It was armed with a laser blade and the armed grenade rifle, and on its shoulders laid the pursuit missiles. Its extensions were that of the antimissile lasers. The pilot was Matthais. "My missions complete, get out of my way." Matthais fired another shot at Jinzou, the middle weight AC's overboost abilities charging up, flying past the grenade shot, his hand missiles ready to fire up close.  
  
"What, no?!" Matthais screamed as he dashed back, his antimissiles taking out the attack. But before Matthais could react, he found himself staring down the laser cannon. One shot ringed out, knocking off the angel of death's head. In a slip second, Samuel was overboosting past Biohazard down the corridor to the arena.  
"Arg!" Neo Sandman screamed as his AC burst into flames, Sephiroth's AC lowering to the ground, his Karasawa still burning with energy. Suddenly, a duo of armored cor "Shit!" Neo Sandman screamed as his AC burst into flames, Sephiroth's AC lowering to the ground, his Karasawa still burning with energy. Suddenly, a duo of armored core burst down from above him. "Hey Philadelphia, lets keep this quick, I'm getting sick of this guy." Leos scoffed at the guy, his armored core Arch-Angel landing hard on the ground in front of KTWGB "For the last time, my name is Daniel, not Philly, that's my AC! Got that Leos?"  
The Philly II rushed towards KTWGB, its laser cannon arms firing of a triplet of shots, one only skimming the side of Sephiroth's AC, the other just barely missing Arch-Angel. The Philly II rushed towards KTWGB, its laser cannon arms firing of a triplet of shots, one only skimming the side of Sephiroth's AC, the other just barely missing Arch-Angel. "Eh, watch!" Leos screamed towards his buddy, but before he could say anymore, he was interrupted by Daniel. Daniel was hit in the back by a quadruplet of missiles from Sephiroth's IMU. Leos spun around Philly and nailed KTWGB in the chest with a laser blade attack, only to be dazed by one of Sephiroth's own moonlight shots.' Only staled for a moment, Leos circled the black plow AC, firing off his MG- SAW. Suddenly, he found himself kissing the pipe of a rocket launcher. The bulb of fire shot out the grenade rifle, sending the Arch-Angel back into a wall. "I don't have time for this." Sephiroth grunted out as he blasted into the sky and out of the dome.  
Leon and Evion continued to battle each other across the arena, as a stray shot from Leon's green rifle struck the arena's glass roof, causing in to shatter, the glass Leon and Evion continued to battle each other across the arena, as a stray shot from Leon's green rifle struck the arena's glass roof, causing in to shatter, the glass falling and breaking on the ground. The rain drenched the Armored Cores, their steel shimmering in the light. They both burst from the ground, their weapons both out of ammo. They tossed their weapons to the ground, standing on the railing which once held up the roof. An alarm ringed through the arena, as hundreds of people still ran from the arena, the news that Matthais had planted bombs finally being revealed to the populace.  
  
"Your good Raven, but as you can tell, I'm better." Leon taunted his enemy, hoping to get inside his head. Both AC's boosters lit up as they rocket towards each other, both striking with a blade as they dashed to the building around. Like strikes of lightning, they jumped from building to building, avoiding each others attacks, their blades lighting up the sky. Evion knew no normal human could have lasted this long, as he landed a strike on his enemies waist, both Armored Cores hitting each other above the center of the arena. There had to be something different about this man.  
Back in the arena, Collider's Collision MK II was soaked with rain, the pilot shuffling through his console. "Where is it, I need it, I must have it!" Collider's scream Back in the arena, Collider's Collision MK II was soaked with rain, the pilot shuffling through his console. "Where is it, I need it, I must have it!" Collider's screams echoed through his head, as he picked up a small needle, and a vial of green liquid. He stuck the needle into the vial and took in some of the liquid. There, he placed the needle to his eye, and sprayed into his eye, as a shot shock his AC, the needle plunging into his eye but he left it unnoticed. "Heheheheh, hahahahaha." Collider's screams were filled with insanity, as he overboost into the sky, landing between Evion and Leon, where he stopped for a second.  
  
"Collider go boom." He spoke to himself, as the Collision exploded into a bright white light, sending the Armored Cores into the sides of buildings.  
  
"Leon, our objective is complete, get out of there, now!" Sephiroth screamed through his comm, his allie still wishing to deal with his enemy. "All right, but later. You here me Raven, I'll make sure I finish you off." Leon smirked as he made his comment to his enemy, overboosting off into the sky. Leos and Daniel ran off in the opposite direction of the arena, Evion being left on the roof of the building, watching the arena instantly going up into flame. In a second which spanned forever, he watched the arena burst into a yellow light, watching the once great building crumble to the ground. Then he was left their alone, in front of a ruined home. "Come back here, Frightener. Collider, I'm sorry." 


	6. Chapter 5: Before of the Ending

Chapter Five: Before of the Ending Leos laid on his bed in the cramped chambers of the Jiontradi. He starred up at his friend's half of the bunk, sighing as he looked out the window to the city below. He thought of what has gone down for the past few years, unknowing of the fate of another, whose would effect his own.  
  
"Die you monster!" A young pilot screamed as he let loose a stream of shots from his laser rifle, his enemy flying around the battle field. His name was Alex Gret, brother of a military ace, and the earth's Nine-Breaker. His enemy was that of a character who shall be remembered through all of history. It armor was the color of blood, and the design wasn't like anything else seen before. This was the Ultimate Nine-Ball, the Jetboy. Alex had fought long and hard during his time on earth.  
  
He had already fought the like of Stinger and Phantsma, and was now in the course of his greatest battle. Shot after shot he fired, all seemingly to be the one which would put an end to the new horror unleashed by the government. He felt a cold chill reach behind him, as the UNB sliced through the steel of his armor. He knew what the chill was. It was the feeling of death. In a flash he turned around, but the enemy was no where to be seen again. His AC began crazy, berserker like maneuvers when he heard a pair of missiles rise into the air. Then, in a flash there was and explosion. His AC, Ultimate Nine-Breaker fell to the ground, as the ancient evil that was Ultimate Nine-Ball burst into flames, a beam of energy cooking its way through the torso of UNB and out the other side. 


	7. Chapter 6: Lost Cause of God

Chapter Six: Lost Cause of God "La la la la laaaaa, la la la laaa la. La la la la, lala la laaaaaaaaa." In an underground shelter beneath Zio City, a middle aged man ran his finger through is frizzed hair, laughing insanely as he tour locks of hair from his head. A blue light simmered on his face as he looked back to the monitor of his computer, hundreds of thousands of little ones running down the screen. "I'll blow them all away, they'll all get blown away, yes they will!" In the orbit around Mars, an old derelict satellite changes its angle. Its scanners locking onto Zio City.  
  
An alarm sounded from Etal Base as its ground began to shake, a large hole opening from the ground. Panel slide to the side as a gigantic weapon began to rise from the ground. Three AC burst from the ground with it, landing on its right arm. On the side of the gigantic weapon read BiSNIT?  
  
A knock came again to Leos' door as Rel Danne stepped in. "Raven, you've been given a mission, it starts now." Rel smirked at his long time rival, Leos moaned from displeasure. "Uhh, do I have too?" Leos' face was disgusted, as he still felt sick from his fight with Sephiroth. "This is an emergency; there is no time for you to complain." Rel was a sick man, and enjoyed seeing Leos in this state of mind.  
  
"The government has ordered you to take out a prototype space carrier which has just launched from Etal Base. You will be given back up as follows; Lt. Raier of the Martian Military and his squadron, Agent Cyanide of the Zio Matrix military, and we have to agents searching through the city for the cause of this." Rel was holding back a laugh, as Leos had fallen back asleep. He stepped out the door and told the crew to wake Leos up and get him ready for battle.  
  
As a car raced through the empty streets of Zio City, an ominous silence befell the once promising metropolis. A shadow hung over the city, as the lights of battle sparkled like stars. "Erg, damn these bots, I can't get past them alone!"  
  
A Lt. Raier screamed at his ally, a female raven who had body enhancements to become a cyborg, named Cyanide. Her AC twisted around through the closing corridors of the heavily guarded ship. "I hear you, but I've got my own problems!" Her AC came to the top of the battle cruisers' head and placed a small explosive in the area. Quickly, she slammed through the glass window which looked down at the city, as the explosion rocked the head of the ship. As she looked at the still standing fortress, an overwhelming sense of fear over took her.  
  
"We're never gonna get out of this, are we?" She calmly spoke to her partner as the ship energy cannon lowers right in front of her, and began to charge it energy. She closed her eye as the beam prepared to fire, when suddenly, something knocked her AC Vapor out of the beams way. She look in awe as the energy light up the sky like the sun, and came crashing into a tower miles off. She watched the tower crumble to the ground, fearful and in wonder of this things power. She turned to find her savior, the Raven, Leos.  
  
"Glad to see you got here." She said to him as her AC's boosters charged up, landing back inside. "You better be glad." He said to her as he cut his AC's boosters allowing him to fall to the ground, where before him stood something he had not expected to see. In front of him stood what could be described as an exact copy of his AC. Its name was Devil's Paintbrush. "Target identified, commencing hostilities." The enemy AC computer roared as it thrust toward Leos, it hydra bazooka firing off three shells into Arch-Nemesis' chest. "Erg! Damn this hacker!" Leos circled the enemy firing off shot after shot of energy from his karasawa. Only to watch as his enemy gracefully dodged them with ease. "LeOs cOMe iN, thIS Is NenE." A transmission came onto Leos' screen as he fought with the mindless Titan.  
  
"This is Leos, Nene, have you found the hacker yet?" A young women sat in a van outside a tower near the fighting, a comm. to her face. "Yeah, we've found the target, he is in sector 231. Ryo is inside right now trying to find him." A man about the age of twenty-one ran through the hallways of the building, a number of men behind him, firing rifles. "This is Ryo, I've had no success yet, except in getting my self in some deep shit." As he turned a corner, he ducked into a small crevice, allowing the guards to run by him. As they stopped to look for him, he readied his weapon. Slowly, he came into the hall way and open fire. In three seconds there laid three dead soldiers in the hall. Quickly, he continued.  
  
Back in the sky, Leos continued his battle with the AC. As he slowly came into close combat, his and the enemy's blade clashed. As Leos' AC kneeled to the ground, his left leg damaged from a chain gun shot, the Devil's Paintbrush burst into a fire. Across from Cyanide was struggling against a group of new MTs. As Vapor's blade tore through the armor of on of the tank MTs, a smaller, bipedal MT landed behind her, its blade glowing, just as a grenade shot struck it from above. In the way of the moon was hovering an AC known as Shadowflare, piloted by the Raven Zero Angel. "I was told to come; I didn't know that I would be a necessity though."  
  
Up by the head of the fortress, a battle was still going on between Raier and a computer controlled AC. "Go to hell you microchip!" Raier screamed towards his enemy, as they both bounced around each AC getting of one shot at a time. Raier's AC Cannon Fodder landed on the top of the fortress, his grenade launcher preparing itself. As he fired off a shot, the enemy AC dodged it with extreme ease. On the side of the enemy AC could be read the phrase GHOST X-1. Then in a flash, the GHOST landed right in front of Raier, as it fired its own shots from its machine gun. As sparks flew from Raier core, he fired of a grenade, knocking him back. Slowly he began to fall.  
  
"Raier, use your boosters, you falling quickly!" Zero Angel screamed as he blasted the top of an MT off with his rockets. "Sorry buddies, you can't help me now, and my boosters are out. Its been good, I'll see you all again someday." As Raier continued to fall, his AC smashed upon the road below, crushing the pilot.  
  
"Leos, come in, its Nene get out of their quickly, we've found the hacker!" The radio operator screamed at Leos through her comm., as Ryo described to her what he was seeing. "Its defiantly Ben Denja, and he is doing something with the satellites. I can't stop him now, I'm out of ammo." Ryo leaned against the doors, gripping his arm where he had been shot. He stared at the man screaming out gibberish. "One, one, one, one, zero, one, one, zero, zero, one, zero, zero, zero, one."  
  
"Ben Denja!" Cyanide screamed with terror as she overboost away from the fortress in a panic. As Leos watched he fly off, he could only wonder what was going through her head. The Nene spoke to him. "Leos, get out of there now. He has gotten control of a military satellite, and its aimed directly at Zio City!" As Leos listened to her in terror, he screamed to the still fighting Zero Angel to evacuate. "I'll blow them to smithereens, I'll blow them to smithereens, and I'll blow them to smithereens!" Ben went out on a rant as the thoughts ran through his head. Flashbacks of his family dying at the hands of a Raven. Memories of the government turning down his weapons. The thoughts of Sephiroth asking for a favor.  
  
"Ryo," Nene looked down at her feet as the cannon far above her head began to charge up. "Yes, Nene," Ryo continued to stare at Ben, as Leos' overboost engines charged up. "I love you." Nene gripped the sides of her seat, as Cyanide continued to overboost away from the city. "I know, Nene." Ryo began to run down the hall, Zero Angel tearing through MT after MT still. As the beam burned through the atmosphere, it struck down onto the land, all of Zio City going up into flames. As Leos' Arch-Nemesis struggled to get out of the blast, he listened to the dying screams of his friends. As he reached up towards his comm. switch to turn it off, he heard Zero Angel mutter his final words. "I can't make it- urg!" As Zero Angel's AC evaporated in the beam, the fortress exploded into a brilliant white ball of energy.  
  
As Leos finally came out of the danger zone, his AC's armor had been melted and disfigured. Then over the comm., he could he the voice of Matthais whisper to him. "The only honorable death is one that leaves a burning crater and thousands dead." As Leos looked upon the empty hole that was once Zio City, only he words which he had first thought when Sacri had died mattered to him. "Sephiroth, Matthais, I'll get you." 


	8. Chapter 7: Goliath of the Skies

Chapter Seven: Goliath of the Skies Leos looked up to the sky above him. He began to feel a warmth around him like nothing he had felt recently. Again he thought back to his struggles against Sephiroth. Then, like all good things, his rest was disturbed. A car speeds up from behind him, nearly running into him. "Leos, no time for tender moments, its an emergency!" The person in the care was Rachel. She yelled at him to get in the car yet, she would not explain why.  
  
"Leos, its Rapture, its fallen under attack by the Frighteners in a joint operation with the Pluto/Jupiter Colonial Army. They've declared themselves a separate nation and are issuing a coup deita attempt. They've planted explosives on Rapture, and are threatening to crash the elevator into Mars. Obviously, the government has hired us to stop them. Leos, we trust you."  
  
Leos looked up at the ceiling of the elevator from the cockpit of his AC. He had come so far, and now it was all about to end. He felt a sudden freedom as the door of the elevator, and he stepped into the hallways of Rapture. A slight beep was heard as a transmission came over his comm. "Raven, Leos, Nemesis. Which ever you prefer now is the time. We of the New Age Frighteners extend our hand to you in friendship. Join us, and let the Ravens free." The dark voice over the comm. was that of Sephiroth, his cold, calm chill with him even here.  
  
"Your sick." Leos' voice was filled with disgust at the monster that is Sephiroth, every fiber of his body tingling with hate for the essence that is the Frighteners. "Then so be it. If you are not one of us, you are against us." Sephiroth closed the comm. channel to Leos, as a panel above the Arch-Nemesis swung open and a squadron of flying Muscle Tracers burst in. The door in front of Leos opened up as three armored core dashed in at full throttle.  
  
"This is Maria; I'll provide cover from a distance. Doewny, Alucard, you attack up front!" A smaller hover type AC pilot sent her message to her allies, as an AC fell through a gate behind her. In a flash, a blade was sticking out the other side of her. As her armored core was lifted into the air, everyone caught a glimpse of the man who had done this. The AC had heavy red armor. On its back laid a grenade launcher and the napalm missiles. In its grip was the hydra bazooka, and strapped to it left arms was the moonlight blade.  
  
Its name was Nightingale. "This is Evion, buddies. Leos, don't think I'm here to save your ass, I got a score to settle." The pilot smirked as the women's AC burst into flames. He lifted the hydra bazooka into the air and fired off a shot which destroyed the Muscle Tracers above Leos.  
  
"You, you killed Maria!" An AC thrust towards the Nightingale, as if in a poetic motion. Evion slowly closed his eyes as he lifts his blade. In a blur of motion, the poorly made AC found its torso on the ground and the legs falling over. "Humph, looks like you guys are good. My buddies weren't more than-eh!" The pilot was startled as the Arch-Nemesis knelled down; the chain gun on its shoulder was armed. "Sorry buddy, but its no fun till somebody draws a gun." Leos spoke to the cocky pilot, drilling shot after shot into the stunned Soul Reaver, as the Nightingale slowly approached.  
  
The Soul Reaver's booster charged up as the pilot attempted to dodge Leos' chain gun shots, taking flight, but it was to late as the Nightingale jumped into the air, its blade dealing damage along the side of the AC. As Alucard fell back to the ground, he fired off a fin-boo missile towards the Arch-Nemesis. Leos quickly reacted to this, dashing across the ground arming his IMI missiles. He jumped over the Soul Reaver, guiding the missiles into its own user. "No!" Alucard screamed as his AC began to fall apart.  
  
"Seems like that's the last of them." Leos began to relax, rubbing his neck. "No, there is still one more coming." Evion commented to his ally as the door once again opened up, an armored core stepping in through the light. "Hello comrades." The armored core stepped into the dimmed light as the door behind it slowly slide closed, its lock spinning and sealing the door. "Diablo is here for you." The armored core stepped into the light, reveal the armored core, and the pilots identify. It was piloted by a member of Jupiter Alliance. The pilot had become famous through his battles, destroying thousands of enemies with his simple but effective armored core.  
  
Its right hand gripped a night sniper rifle, and strapped to his left was an energy blade. Attached to its right shoulder was a grenade launcher. The armored core name was Diablo, the Fire Demon. This pilot rested in the cockpit of his diabolical weapon, his name known to thousand of the dead and widowed his name was Charlie Deth, the Grim Beast. The pilot was calm and relaxed as his mech stepped out to the stunned Nightingale, Evion still in shock as to how the Grim Beast could be here. "Now are you prepared to die?"  
  
The Diablo thrust across from the room, quickly spinning around. Its FCS gained a lock onto the Nightingale, as the heavy weight struggles to get out of its range. A beam shot across the room, a piece of armor flying off of the Nightingale, disintegrating in the air. Leos turned to the Red Demon, his Karasawa rising to core level, firing of a pair of shots. In a blur of motion, the Deth had dodged the shot and had his night to the Arch- Nemesis backs. "You've underestimated me."  
  
As the beam of energy charged up, Leos closed his eyes, expecting that final shot to come. But it was not to happen here. Evion overboost directly into the Grim Beast, knocking the rifles aim upwards, a shot piercing the steel of the roof. As the air was sucked through the hole into space, the remains of the fallen armored cores became caught in the hole. "On contra, seems you have underestimated us." The Nightingale's bazooka rose up to the Diablo's head. Firing off a shot, the Red Devil was knocked backed into the wall.  
  
"I won't go down like, this, I can't allow it!" Charlie's armored core kneeled to the ground, the grenade rifle arming itself. As Leos regained control of himself, he thrust towards the unholy armored core. As the flame of the grenade burst from the pipe of the cannon, the Arch-Nemesis rose into the air, its blade coming unsheathed. As the armored core came back to the ground, the grenade exploded on the other side of the room, Diablo's own blade reacting as if with a mind of its own. The Nightingale stood to the side watching the fight, an explosion of energy blinding Evion view as the blades collided. "You fight well raven." Charlie admired Leos fighting skills as they dashed apart, both arming their main weapons, as they run along next to each other.  
  
They thrust away from each other, bothering firing of a beam of energy which hit each other midway. They both stopped at opposite side of the room, their overboost engines charging up. As they came towards each other, they both armed their blades once again. In a blinding light, they crossed each other. They both stood still for a second as the smoke cleared, their blades sinking back into their arms. "You fought well, raven." Charlie closed his eyes as his armored core fell over in flames, an explosion erupting from its generator. "Rest in Peace."  
  
As Leos' armored core stood over the charred shell of Diablo. "What an excellent show you two put on! To bad it could only happen once." Evion joked as Leos stood up, the door unlocking itself. There laid at the base of the door the burning shell of the AC Kraze Gun Man. A pair of armored core burst in through the door. There they stood, Leon and Matthais. "You've come far enough Leos, my friend." Matthais' armored core Funeral Mask stepped forwards, as Leon's Conquistador rouse into the air.  
  
"You, you deserve to die now!" Evion screamed as he rushed towards Leon, his hydra firing off shot after shot. "I'll kill you, monster!" Evion became filled with anger as his armored core burst up in front of Leon, sliding his moonlight across Conquistador's chest. Dropping to the ground, Conquistador's laser machine gun raised up, locking on around the Nightingale. The armored core circled around firing onto Nightingale, Matthais and Leos watching the two with interest. Evion dropped to the ground, breaking out of the circle.  
  
"You're the man who killed Collider!" Evion screamed as he rammed Leon into a wall, his fit of anger dying down. "So what, he fought me, I did what I had to." Leon grinned, as he burst off the ground landing behind the Nightingale, striking the heavyweight with his moonlight. "There is something different about you Frightener, something evil." Evion's anger was gone know, and he was fighting on instinct, his held still filled with thoughts. "Now you can tell." Leon laughed to himself as his armored core popped up from beneath the Nightingale again, firing off a dozen shots into the armored core's chest. A shock hit Evion as he realized what was going on. Leon, he had heard rumors about this man. They said he could see things before they happen. He knew what his enemies where doing, and why. Then Leon stopped. He looked around confused as the Nightingale hung over head.  
  
Now Evion mind was clear, and his action lead his way. His grenade launcher was armed as a blob of fire shot down towards the ground. Suddenly noticing his mistake, Leon burst towards the sky, barely missing the grenade. As he appeared next to Evion's core, his moonlight sheathing out. But he was not to notice the turn boosters on the Nightingale. There he stood, looking down the barrel of a grenade launcher. "Leon go boom." Evion casually joked, as he fired a shot into Leon's face. Both armored core drop to the ground, Leon's armor quickly melting away. But as they fell, Leon's moonlight pulled out and caught across Evion's armor. From the shadows, there came a shot of energy as Vagrant Savior stepped from the elevator door. "I couldn't miss all the fun, now could I?" Leos and Matthais braced their Armored Cores against a wall, preventing themselves from getting sucked out, but Leon and Evion failed at this.  
  
"Leon seems we may have similar fates." Evion nodded his head as he looked to Mars. "Or maybe, I'll just come back." Evion laughed as his armored core was pulled faster into Mars' atmosphere. Then he heard Leon laugh. "Heh, as you said we may have similar fates." Leon continued to laugh as his armored core was pulled away from Evion, sending a final transmission. "Raven, perhaps, again in another life we can meet each other and finish this fight!" Leon's' speech was filled with static, but the pilot seemed as if he knew something the other didn't. "Perhaps, Frightener, we just might." Evion smirked as his armored core began to fall ever faster.  
  
"Ah so, this is how it ends." Matthais spoke to Leos as the window was sealed by a metal wall. "So Leos, shall our battle begin?" Matthais turned to the Arch-Nemesis, backing away from it. Leos was calm, knowing it was now time for his battle. He breathed in slowly, his armored core kneeling to the ground. Matthais' grenade launcher was armed on his shoulder, neglecting his karasawa, just as his enemy. "Leos, my friend. You cannot imagine how long I have waited for this." Matthais circled the Arch- Nemesis, breaking the silence.  
  
"Matthais, buddy, as you have no idea how much I have craved revenge." Leos smiled once again, as he switched to his multimissile. He thrust into the air as Matthais passed his blade under him. As Leos armored core stared down to the four legged behemoth, Leos counted to four, as Matthais rouse into the air, placing his grenade to the Arch-Nemesis' lip. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, please proceed to place you heads between your legs and KISS YOUR ASS GOOD-BYE!"  
  
Matthais screamed as he pulled the trigger to his grenade launcher, as Leos dodged to the left, the fire ball hitting the ceiling of the battle room, knocking the Broken Mask to the ground. As the Arch-Nemesis let loose his missiles, his chain gun flinging up on his shoulder. He began to fire early as his armored core was sent back into the wall from the recoil. As Matthais was pelted with shots, he knew he couldn't beat Leos on his own. "Moron, you can never defeat me! But to even the odds, I'll give you a chance, follow me!"  
  
The door from which they came again opened, Leos standing there in front of the path to which could decide his destiny. He knew this was only a bluff on Matthais part, and he was being lead into a trap, but there was something about the door at the end of the hall that was like a magnet to him. He stepped into the lit hall walking towards the door slowly. Leos walked down the hall, his mind clear of all thoughts. As he stepped into the dim, candle lit room, his armored core shimmered in the light. Leos sat in awe of the candles, thousands, millions of them. And there, at the other end of the room stood Sephiroth in his armored core, in all his glory. "Raven, you have come to far now. Many have died through your actions. And still you only have a mission of revenge. Can't you tell my goals are righteous? Raven, I can't let you hurt anymore people!" Sephiroth dashed towards Leos, as in a cinematic way, the battle began.  
  
As the Arch-Nemesis swung to the left, sparks blazing from the ground as the armored core's feet dragged along the ground, KTWGB's blade cut through the air at which Arch-Nemesis was standing. The Arch-Nemesis thrust around a pillar, as KTWGB turned around, thrusting around another pillar, its hover legs allowing it to fly above the ground. As Leos' sat still behind the pillar, he prepared for Sephiroth to launch his attack, a green lock-on signal around where Sephiroth stood to Leos' eyes.  
  
Sephiroth's breath turned cold as he thrust from behind the pillar of metal and wires, his armored core's karasawa gathering energy, as the beam spun through the air, striking the cylinder which Leos hid behind. The Arch- Nemesis ran to the side, firing its own karasawa beams. As the shots skimmed by KTWGB's body, Sephiroth stayed calm. He bit down on his lip, trying to focus on the battle at hand, and then something took over. His hands gripped the controls tightly, as he let loose an insane scream.  
  
The KTWGB thrust back to the wall, his grenade launcher preparing. His armored core fired of a blast of fire as it over boost towards the AC at the other end of the room. The blast of fire shored slowly through the air, as Leos stood stunned at Sephiroth's abnormal actions. As the explosive drew ever closer, Leos came back to reality, dodging to the left, as the grenade hit the wall behind him, the explosion burning the wall black. Leos turned around, kneeling down as his chain gun was prepared.  
  
Sephiroth was erratic, spinning around the stationary Leos', firing off dozens of shots. The Arch-Nemesis could take no more, as a final shot hit the back of the core. Then, like a shadow, Matthais appeared from the darkness. In a blur of energy, the Funeral Mask's moonlight was poking out the other end of Kiss the World Good-Bye.  
  
Leos looked on confused as Matthais' blade retracted back into the arm, Sephiroth turning around to Matthais. "Why did you do that?" Matthais thrust back up to a ledge, where he prepared his grenade launcher. "Because, I am tired of you. Everywhere I go, people talk about Sephiroth. Sephiroth this, Sephiroth that. Now, its my time to shine!" Sephiroth was tired of listening to Matthais' babbling. He began to thrust around in a circle, Matthais leaping into the center of Sephiroth's cycle. He began to move in the opposite direction of Sephiroth's movements, Leos looking on confused of the bizarre fighting style.  
  
As Sephiroth and Matthais came closer together, they both fired off their grenades. At the same time, they began to rise into the air. As their grenade collided under each other, they both swung their moonlights as they passed next to each other. As KTWGB's hover legs skimmed over the ground, moving into a large curve, Matthais slowly turned around, arming his karasawa. The hover type came dangerously closer.  
  
"Heh, eat this." Matthais smirked as he fired of his karasawa, the blast just passing by KTWGB, as Sephiroth began to dodge in a zigzag pattern. "What the hell?" Matthais was startled as a shot came from KTWGB's back, an orbital weapon being dropped out. As Matthais back out of the cannons firing range, he bumped into a pointed object behind him. Sephiroth stood behind him, his karasawa held up. The Funeral Mask thrust into the air, the shot just barely going under the legs, as KTWGB rouse into the air as well, and its moonlight crossing the back of Matthais' core.  
  
As the Funeral Mask was sent forward, it turned around, gaining a lock onto KTWGB, firing of a pair of shots. Sephiroth moved as the first shot moved by him, but the second hit his core, knocking it back into the wall as Matthais came closer again. The Kiss the World Good-Bye was hovering to the ground as the Funeral Mask, jumped up into the air, its blade stabbing into the core. Matthais thrust back as KTWGB burst into flames, Sephiroth sending out a message to Leos.  
  
"Raven... My time has come, and I'm sorry. I was a fool to cause such pain to the world. Raven, grant me this wish. Kill him. Kill the man who made me do this to you. Now that I am gone, it won't be long before he finds more evil. And then he will come to you. The hustler.... Arg! Damn him!" Sephiroth screamed as his armored core fell over, a piece a shrapnel shooting through his chest.  
  
"Humph, seems perhaps he wasn't that evil after all, now Leos?" Matthais taunted the pilot of the Arch-Nemesis, startled as Leos burst into a laughter. "Ha-ha, hoo-hah, ha-ha!" Leos laugh was confused filled with rage as he began to speak. "Ha-ha, it, ha-ha, doesn't, ha-ha, matter, ha-ha, to me, ahahahaha, anymore now! I'll just kill everyone!" Leos screamed as he thrust towards Matthais, his blade slicing past the Funeral Mask as the quad leg moved to the side.  
  
"Your mad!" Matthais screamed as he fired his karasawa down at the Arch- Nemesis, the heavy weight moving to the right, the beams trailing behind it, electricity sparkling off the floor as sparks flashed from the armored core's legs grinding along the ground. The Arch-Nemesis chain gun released it lock and it aimed up towards Funeral Mask, the chamber spinning rapidly as the shots were fired out, the AC slamming back into a wall from the recoil. "I couldn't even kill Sephiroth with my own hands, I've failed everyone!" Leos screamed as his AC placed its knee to the ground, Matthais falling to the ground.  
  
The Funeral Mask moved rapidly behind pillars trying to take cover, but they exploded and crumbled as Leos drilled shot after shot into them. Then Leos' chain gun gave out a burst of smoke and stopped spin. Leos' finger pulled the trigger once, twice, three times. Then he looked up at the screen and found he had wasted all his ammo. Matthais spun from his hiding place as he lifted his grenade launcher up, a ball of fire sending out its cannon, Leos lifting his armored core into the air as he sliced his blade across Matthais' core. The Funeral Mask took flight again as Matthais noticed he exhausted his ammo as well.  
  
"Leos, you may have won now, but our mission is complete. Neither of us shall leave this place alive." Matthais placed his AC against a glass wall, as he lifted up a small device in his cockpit. Leos thrust towards him, his blade sliding out, and its purple energy slicing into the torso of the Funeral Mask. Matthais screamed as his armored core burst into flames. During his final breathes his flipped a safety, and hit a red glowing button. An explosion rocket from the other side of the room, following up as hundred explosion burnt through the rest of the room. The glass shattered as the Arch-Nemesis used the Funeral Mask as a ramming shield to smash the glass. Leos looked on from space at Rapture, the room he was in collapsing. Then a message appeared on his screen from Matthais.  
  
"The only honorable death is one that leaves a burning crater and thousands dead." Matthais coughed up blood as he spoke, his head lumping over, dead. Leos listened to him in silence as the Jiontradi approached his location from a distance off. His head slumped over, as he passed out. 


	9. Chapter 8: Rest for the Weak

Chapter Eight: Rest for the Weak Leos lay in a hospital bed as he awoke. A bandage was wrapped around his head, and he was surrounded by friends. A television was over his head where a newscast was shown, featuring him as a hero. "Good morning Leos, nice to she your alive." Rachel lay near his feat, her eyes filled with tears. Leos rubbed his head, a nerve splitting pain echoing down his spine. "Ahh!" Leos grabbed his hand as he jerked back from a bandage.  
  
"Shit!" Leos screamed as he rubbed his hand, the people around him laughing slightly. "Oh Leos, just calm down. You'll be fine soon enough. Just relax and get some rest, its over now." Rachel grinned as stood up, rubbing her back. It had been three days since he had passed out and everyone was still a buzz of the death of Sephiroth.  
  
"So it seems, even in death, Matthais is over shadowed by Sephiroth." Leos looked down at his stomach, as Gret asked him a question. "What do you mean Leos, what about Matthais?" Leos looked up to him and told the story of Matthais betrayal, and his defeat. "You see, all this time, everyone had over looked him. So he began to plot against his own master. Its a strange fate. All this time I wanted revenge against those who killed Sacri, and now that their dead, I'm not satisfied, as if something about them still threatened me."  
  
"Well Leos, its over anyways, you should just stay here and rest." Rachel spoke to her old friend as she left the room, stopping suddenly as Leos spoke back to her. "Rachel, I don't know, I just don't know. What Sephiroth said to me? Rachel, do me a favor, get of this planet, go to earth, and pay your respects to Sacri. Then, it may be over, but promise me this." "Leos. What did Sephiroth say to you?" Rachel asked her as she turned back to him. "Nothing! Just promise me!" Leos yelled at her in frustration, order her to promise her. "All right Leos, I'll go to earth, and I'll visit that dreadful place. Just don't go and get yourself killed." Rachel nodded her head, stepping out the door.  
  
Rachel looked down at the red planet from the window of her ship as she left Mars, her destination Earth once again. It had been so long since she had been to earth, or even in space, she had forgotten what it was like. She thought of Leos, down in his hospital bed, asleep, his head still filled with thoughts. The trip from Mars to Earth would take six days and six nights. As Mars left her view, a feeling that not all was right in the Universe overtook her, as she burst out into tears. In the distance past her, a shooting star fell, its eerie light still with mankind, despite the star having died millions of years ago.  
  
Leos shot up from his bed in a cold sweat. His face was drenched with the liquid as he got up from his bed sheets, the white sheets floating back to the bed in a ghostly manner. The bandages on his back beginning to peal off, he ached all over from the sudden exposure to the air. He leaned over as he began to puke into his sink, grasping for a cup of water. The rooms around him where silent, patients young and old fast asleep.  
  
"Erg, I have got to get out of this place." Leos cough up as he spoke, disgusted that he was being treated with old people that are damned anyway. "Rachel, thank god you got of this hell hole and went back to Earth. This way, when Sephiroth comes back, you can't get in my way. And I know it in my bones. He will come back." Leos fell back onto his bed, screaming as a shock of pain ran through his skin, blood spilling across the bed from the wound. An ugly old nurse burst into his room after hearing the scream, shouting at him. "Mr.Peceak, you really must be more careful!"  
  
A cold chill ran down Rel's spine as he looked up from the Jiontradi's deck, watching the same shooting star as Rachel. He wondered just how many people are looking at the same Moon as him, and how many times will he look at this same Moon. "Leos, Rachel, everyone. I wonder, how many more days do we have to live? Is our destiny as ravens to die on the battlefield like so many others? Everyone I see, everyone whom I talk to, everyone I kill, they have a story, a life, a meaning. But, as a raven, I guess it is sometimes my job to take away that meaning, and take away their chance of saying good- bye to you, Mr.Moonman, one last time." Rel talked to himself as he rolled over in his bed, and fell asleep.  
  
Two days later Leos wandered through the halls of the Jiontradi again, his scars there with him waving like a banner. He stepped into a hallway, as he stumbled over, grabbing onto railing, the ship rocking. "What the hell is going on?" A man yelled at him from down the hall, Leos just looking at him confused. From beneath the ship the ground began to dig up as disorder units began to come up from their burrows.  
  
"Leos, this is urgent!" Rel ran up to him screaming as he stood up straight. "Leos, we need you to get in your armored core, now! We'll give you your mission briefing when your ready." Rel barely had enough time to tell Leos before the pilot shoved him out of the way, running towards the docking bay. As he ran, he thought about Sephiroth again. "So the monster rises from the ashes, resurrection."  
  
Leos sat in the cockpit of Arch-Angel, his face mask fogged with his breath. Sweat rolled down his neck, his body burning up from the heat of the suit, and the anxiety of the battle ahead of him. He gripped the controls, his hands numbed from being in the same form so long. He jumped as a pictured appeared on the left side of his monitor, Rel in his armored core speaking to him. "Leos, your mission is as follows. The disorder units have suddenly begun acting more violently than ever for some reason. We have been order by the government to attack who ever, or what ever that has caused this. I will be sent to Falna Crater to destroy the core of a disorder nest decently discovered under the ship. You will be sent to the Disorder Nest to destroy as many targets as possible. Our mission starts now." Rel looked to his console, smirking as his drop ship launched from the port, heading off in the direction of Falna Crater. "Leos, just in case I don't come back, I want you to know. All those things I said about you, I didn't mean it." Rel looked up to the comm. screen, smiling weakly. "I know, old friend. Tell you what, after this mission; I'll buy you a round." 


	10. Chapter 9: The Disorder's Call

Chapter Nine: The Disorder's Call Rel walked through the dim lighted stone hallways beneath Falna Crater, his armored core walking slowly, each step echoing down the hall, the sound of scurrying disorder units all around him. As a door in front of him slowly opened, his muscles became tense. He stared into a room filled with disorder units, his armored core's overboost systems in preparation. As he flew over the tops of the unmanned units, the vile creations looked up at it, firing shots at random. As the shots drilled into the top of the stone ceiling, Rel ran his armored core out of the room, piece of dirt falling from the corner of the, as the ceiling came crashing down, crushing the disorder units. "That was way to close." Rel continued down the next hall way, as he had for the last hour, without once firing a shot. The ground shook with each step of his AC, the dust being lifted into the air in a ripple around his feet. His armored core, Ice Man, held a machine gun in its right arm and on the left held a moonlight.  
  
He stepped into the next, seemingly empty room, except small pods to his right. As he walked through the room, his curiosity got the better of him as he examined the pods. He stared at the pods, their contaminants covered up by dust and a fog inside the tube itself. Then he rammed himself into his chair as he released what was inside them. Armored Cores. They where painted to appear as if they had been splashed with blood, although they had long ago rusted over, and know had a brownish tint. "What's going one here? Armored Cores? Why? What?" Daniel spoke to himself as he stepped out the door. Again there was an empty hallway. We walked down the hall, still ever slowly. He listened carefully, as each with each step; he heard the sound of something cracking. He looked down at the floor, noticing a green rot. He gulped as he continued, an explosion coming from his left as a different disorder unit burst through the wall. Another came in from the right, as he thrust back to the end of the hall, the floor breaking apart, as both the disorder unit and him fell to a room below.  
  
They landed on a small island in the center of a lava pool, hundreds of disorder units of all different kinds cocooned into the wall. Rel did not have long to admire the site, as he fought the two disorder units. They were tall and skinny, and for arms, they have weapons similar to that of what some armored core use, nicknamed the 'samurai' arms. Rel thrust to the left as one of the units slashed by him, his machine gun firing round after round into the unmanned killer's side, as the second one ran its blades across the Ice King's back. Rel circled the first one as the second tried to chase him, Rel closing in, for a slash with his moonlight. The first disorder unit tried to get out of his circle of death, but it burst into flames, exploding almost a second later.  
  
Then, Rel only had one more enemy to worry about, as he was slashed again across the back, his AC knelling to the ground as a chain gun armed itself. He fired shot after shot, trailing the advanced disorder unit as it leaped into the air, closing in for a blade slice. As it came closer to him, he grinned, his moonlight charging up as the disorder landed, the chain gun flipping back over onto his back, the blade slicing the unit in half.  
  
Rel stood in front of the burning unit, looking up at his target. It was a stone globe standing atop of a cylinder. This had proven to be what was control the disorder units, as his armored core thruster lifted him into the air. Rel flinched as his blade sliced through the side of the ball, landing on the other side of it. The control mechanism sparked twice, as it shot of a flare, exploding into a small ball of light. "Mission complete, looks like I will manage to go home." Rel laughed to himself as he thought about how nervous he had been about this mission before hand. Then he looked up as the earth around him began to shake, three huge boulders falling from the ceiling above him, sealing the hole through which he came through. "What! No!" Rel screamed as he fired his weapons at the three stones, hoping to blast through them. He screamed as the ground shook again, hundreds of thousand of disorder units crawling out of the walls around him.  
  
They climbed up around the ceiling and through the lava pit, sacrificing themselves as they made a bridge to the island. "What the heck are these things?" Rel screamed again, as his armored core was covered with the tiny disorders, watching his armor rapidly burn away. Then he looked at the walls again. He could seem something etched in now. In his horror, he found a picture of a massive disorder unit he had heard of during the Mars Civil Commotion, some calling it Leos Klien's final weapon. "I get it now. This was part of Sephiroth's plan all long. He knew something was going to happen like this. Or maybe..." Rel nodded his head again, as his armored core burst into flames. 


	11. Chapter 10: Rebirth

Chapter Ten: Rebirth Leos stepped into the Disorder's Nest, watching as an AC fought off some disorder units itself. The armored core was piloted by a man name Tiki, and the AC's name was Tikitian. "Good to see you made it! I can't take much more; I've got to go soon..." Tiki sent his message to Leos, as he sliced the top of an MT off, lifting into the air again, firing down at the disorders. He thrust out the entrance of the cave, saluting Leos as he left. "Good luck, fellow Raven." Tiki overboost away from the area, Leos saluting him back. Leos began a rampage through the disorder units, his blade slicing through the low armored enemies.  
  
"Urg, there has to be something more dangerous than these." Leos yawned, as he cut through the hordes of enemies. In the shadows at the bottom of ruins stood two mechs in the shadows. They remained hidden to the sight, as a comm. opened up between them. "Master, seems our guest is bored? Shall I entertain him? Thank you master." The mecha stepped into the light as it thrust through the tunnels. Leos stood still as the final disorder in the room exploded, a blast of energy coming up from a weak point in the ground. The armored core landed on the ground, slowly standing up, Leos turning to it. "So who are you?" Leos questioned the sudden appearance of this Raven, thrusting back as the enemy's blade sliced through the air. "You may call me Evil K, but soon that will not matter for you shall die." The pilot laughed as he rose into the air, his blade coming down on Leos' core. The armored core stood up, placing it karasawa next to the Arch-Angel. He fired off a shot, Leos quickly dodging to the left. The beam burning the armor, the beam hitting the other side of the room, the wall crumbling to the ground. Leos' blade sliced across the armored core's arm. "You bitch, you damaged me!" Evil K screamed, as Leos flew back to the other side of the room, firing of his machinegun, kneeling to the ground as the laser cannon was armed. "Now, you die." Leos smirked as he shot the blast of energy across the room, Evil K's armored core being struck in the chest, bursting into flames. "No! Revelr, I can't believe it! My master will get you!" Evil K screamed as his armored core burst into flames, Leos looking at it strangely. "Revelr?"  
  
An armored core stepped from the shadows below Leos. The armored core was black a coal, with a patch of white, and was painted to appear as if it was splashed with blood. It held a Karasawa, the armored cores name, Revelr, an ace pilot for the old days of the Nest. "Looketh back. Whatsoever gaveth rise to our Armageddon of Independence? Nobody knows but Jesus. Wherefore didst we becometh followers of Sephiroth Barb? For three-eth long years we hath all waited. We stand united and not one sinner in our force shall ever turn unto from Satan's duty. Now, with the wine of the young burning unto us, I declare Armageddon upon the Earth Temple. We shall ignore the whispers of whatsoever is known as a false peace. We shall repeat now and forever more what we hear in our hearts. Jesus, son of God, also son of Mary, daughter of God, speaks: To restore the glory of our homeland. Why is it in this age, a crime to dream Raven? All those with desires of a beautiful world filled with peace are confused with madmen who want nothing but chaos. Raven, you should know this better than anyone. Now, we must fight for the future of all mankind. We all make mistakes. Don't you think, Raven? We humans need strict supervision. We cannot live on our own. A state dedicated to Ravens? I'm a realist, not some fool. All that I have wanted to do is revive the ways of old. Die, rebel!"  
  
Leos listened to the man's speech over the comm., the young Raven scratching the back of his neck. "Well, looks like I have made quite afew enemies in this world. I guess its a good thing I sent Rachel to Earth, I'm certain she would interfere in this match." Leos AC thrust towards the hole in the center of the cave, the blue sparks from his boosters lighting up the room. He cut of the energy as he fell through the hole, his AC's legs recoiling as he hit the ground. The AC he looked up to stare at was Death Knell.  
  
The Arch-Angel thrust back into a wall, Leos looking around the room as his enemy did the same. All four sides of the room where held up by huge stone pillars. On each quadrant of the room, a disorder control mechanism. Death Knell stood on the other side of the room, the AC shinning from the light reflected through the room by the polish like walls. Heliographs where etched into the walls of what appeared to be disorder units crashing down huge towers, and an armored core standing high over the ruins. The AC had back panels, and a strange shaped head. It was the only part of the wall painted, the AC itself crimson red, and the surrounding area if it in a bright yellow. "Raven, you have come so far. In you path you have left the ruins of the ancient people. Now Raven, you must be stopped, prepare to die!"  
  
Leos' AC thrusted towards the monstrous armored core, the blue light of its blade slicing through the image of Revelr's armored core. Leos looked up, as he smirked, his eyes opening wide as the image faded a way, a cold, black, steel blade crossing the back of Arch-Angel. Leos screamed as his armored core fell forward, the dust lifting into the air as the font of the AC smashed into the ground, the stone floor trembling from the force, cracking into small splinters. The Arch-Angel struggled to get to its feet as the solid blade slide back into Revelr's AC's wrist. The Death Knell stood beside the Arch-Angel, silently waiting. "Raven, how could you have possibly come this far, and be so weak? So me your strength Raven!" Revelr dashed to the side, his karasawa lighting up the air as beams of energy sour through the air, striking the back of the Arch-Angel.  
  
Leos forced his armored core into the air, balancing out its stability, landing softy to the ground, as he ran to the left. Spinning around with his boosters, his FCS locking around the image of Death Knell. Leos fired off his MG-SAW, the bullets piercing the image, as is fazed and disappeared. "Not again!" Leos thrusted towards the center of the battle field as Revelr again sliced towards him, the blade stabbing into the air. The Arch-Nemesis turned to Death Knell, the barrel of the machinegun heat up as shots flew towards Revelr's chest. The armored core lifted, as shots passed under it. Revelr thrust back as Leos knelled to the ground, his shoulder cannon arming itself. The blast passed through the air, striking Revelr in the chest. "Good to see you can hit me, but I bet you weren't expecting this!"  
  
Revelr thrust to the left, his image trailing behind him, Leos' FCS going crazy, looking onto each separate image. "What the hell?" Leos screamed he fired his shots at Revelr, the bullets trailing behind the armored core as the Death Knell continued its approach, a spark flashing from its arm as the blade skimmed out the container, Leos thrust back quickly as the steel skimmed over his core's chest, Leos firing shots directly into Revelr's core, the ace blasting off the ground, the rest of the shots passing under him, the armored core rising into the air, floating high above the ground as it equipped his karasawa.  
  
The beams of light followed along Leos' path, Leos dodging left to right, circling around the room, Leos sweat dripping down his face, his grip around the controls tightening. "Screw you demon!" Leos yelled as his armored core's booster light up brighter, overboosting beneath Death Knell's feet.  
  
The Arch-Angel turned around, his karasawa firing up at him, the shots hitting the Death Knell's back. Revelr burst to the right, the next shots hitting the ceiling next to him. "What, huh!" Revelr screamed as Leos burst into the air, his blade bursting from his arm slicing across Death Knell's legs, the armored core bursting into flames as it fell to the ground. "Raven, your mission, it is not finished. He stills aches for power, and now, you are his. You cannot run from him. He is everywhere. Raven!" Revelr's screams were panicked and disoriented. Leos looked at the burning AC in interest, as Revelr let his dying breath.  
  
Leos stood at the foot of the burnt Death Knell, a wooden cross in front of him, the name Revelr etched into it roughly. Leos knelled next to it, praying beneath his breath. "Perhaps they are right. I may be a demon. I could be the messenger of evil, not the savior of mankind." Leos walked to the Arch-Angel, pushing his hair to the side as he grabbed onto a wire, lifting into the air as he stepped into the cockpit. Outside, far off in the distance, laid down a burning AC next to a wrecked transport ship.  
  
The charred armored core was that of Tikitian. Beside it stood the rusted, half destroyed figure of Kiss the World Goodbye. Inside its cockpit, laid back on the chair, a dead, half his skull torn away, carcass of Sephiroth. His eyes were opened, gleaming a crimson light. In his mouth his slowly whispered. "Leos...... What is destiny?" Kiss The World Goodbye's boosters charged up and the AC soured through the air, towards the disorder nest. 


	12. Chapter 11: Soul of the Hustler

Chapter Eleven: Soul of the Hustler The Arch-Angel stepped into the sunlight, its armor shimmering, the blinding glare shinning upon a figure a short distance away. The unit was broken and rusted, burnt away at on the top, and torn away at. It floated above the ground, in its left arm a excellent weapon, the karasawa. "Sephiroth?!"  
  
Leos' AC stepped back into the cave, Leos staring at the figure, as an image appeared on his screen. It was the of Sephiroth, his eyes glowing, yet a piece of his skull ripped off, a fragment of shrapnel gouged into his mind. His lips moved in sync with a pair of voices. One his own, cold voice, still with that hatred and anguish he died with. The other a voice filled with static, empty of emotion, Leos shivering as it spoke.  
  
"Raven, so long and far you have fought. Now you meet your fate, the fate that awaits all. Lets fight Raven; we'll settle this in battle." Leos' overboost engines thrust him into the woods behind the KTWGB, Leos mind filled with images of this new horror. "What is this thing? Is it Sephiroth? No he is dead. This must be something much worst. Perhaps...."  
  
The Arch-Angel came to a sudden stop as a blade sliced a crossed his armor. The KTWGB stood in front of him, its blade flaming to his side. Leos' armored core lifted into the air, Leos back aching from the force. Leos looked down to the ground, his MG-SAW burning into the ground, shots chipping of pieces of KTWGB's armor. Leos smirked as he fell back to the ground, his blade streaking across KTWGB's armor as the hover type forced its way away. Leos followed along his enemies trails, dashing from left to right as beams from the karasawa's barrel flew by him. Leos' armored core arched around KTWGB, each AC moving at maximum speed, matching each others moves, as KTWGB struggled to back away from Arch-Angel.  
  
Leos flinched as a karasawa beam struck his core, the arch-Angel being knocked back into a tree. Leos took to the air again, firing back down his enemy. Leos eyes opened wide has he watched his ammo drop to zero. Falling to the ground, Leos thought of his next move, all his weapons ammo empty. He shook as the moonlight thrust into his core, Leos realizing his few options out.  
  
"I see now what I must do. Perhaps I have been wrong all this time anyways. Sephiroth may have been a tragic hero after all. Oh hell, like it matters to me now." Leos thrust into the air his blade cutting across KTWGB's armor, pieces of it falling to the ground, flaking away as it crumbled. The two armored core stood behind each other each one thrust away from each other, the sun beginning to set in Mars' horizon.  
  
It was the day Rachel was to arrive on Earth. Leos looked down, as he turned to Kiss the World Good-Bye Again. He hummed under his breath, opening his eyes as he looked up. He smirked. "You must be that Hustler I've heard so much about. Looks like I got no way out. Guess I gotta go with the final operation." The two armored cores' overboost units firing up. The burst towards each other, the crows in the background cawing, the small moths fluttering from tree to tree, butterflies passing along, knowing shortly by instinct, they will met their fates. The two armored core rouse into the air as the approached each other.  
  
Leos' comm. opened up once again. "Raven, what is you wish." The voice was only that of the vile one before, all of Sephiroth's gone. Their blades lit up, as they sliced across each one, both bursting into a red flame as they exploded, Leos letting out a final scream. 


	13. Extension and Finale

Extension: A Moment of Silence and Finale Rachel knelled down, the sun setting in the background. See listened to the crows cawing, placing a bundle of flowers on the ground. She stood in the center of St. Jurgeville's desert, known know as the Soldier's Final Battleground, where the souls of fallen warriors is said to lay.  
  
Rachel looked into the distance looking at a burnt AC in the distance, standing in front of an old, fractured dome. She smiled, hoping soon she would be back of this desolate Earth, and back at Mars, home, with Leos. She hoped.  
  
Boom. Leos felt the burn of the fire began to incinerate his body. But he smiled for those few seconds, watching as the Hustler was engulfed in flames. He knew that heaven was a gift presented only to the righteous. He was not one of those people. However, he felt the warmth of heaven, and was blinded by its light. Then nothing, he was engulfed in the fire and reduced to memory in a pile of ashes...  
  
Rachel fell to her knees as she listened to the news. It was only days ago that she left Leos to his own devices, expecting him to do what was right. Instead, he got himself killed. "Damn you, damn you Leos! Why'd you have to go! Why couldn't you just come with me! Someone else, they could've gone in your place! But now you're gone!" Rachel shook her head in disbelief, tears flying off her face. She shoved the man who gave her the news aside, and began to run down the halls of Jiontradi.  
  
Rachel sat calmly at her desk. She open up where diary, a small hologram rising up from it. A gentle tune, like that of a music box began to play. Da-da da-da, da-da da-da. Over and over it played. It was mellow and sad. The holograph was that of Leos, a video. She listen to the words in her head. "Every person has a heaven. Every person has a goal. These two are intertwined. Some people goals are dark, evil. Therefore the heaven they create for themselves too, is evil. But in such, creating an evil will also create a good which will try and restore the light. But this too, is all part of fate. I now know my fate. It is locked with that of Sephiroth. And now that he is gone, my heaven has become an impossible dream. And without possibility, there cannot be life."  
  
Rachel rocked back and forth. Over and over she listens to the recording. She thought those were happy times. Now she too knew the truth. She looked out her window, viewing the marvelous vastness of space, the never ending universe. She realized her infidelity. She spoke softly to herself. "When a stone is tossed into a lake, it creates ripples. But eventually, those ripples fade away. Leos, you have cast a stone into the lake of humanity. I will be that last ripple before they all fade away."  
  
Mere hours later, Rachel crept along the insides of the Jiontradi, heading towards the hanger. There she saw it. And single Armored Core. Envision it however you like, it will not change what happens. She climbed up into the cockpit, strapping herself in. She looked down onto the crew, trying to figure out what was going on. With one last boost, she left from the hanger.  
  
Dangling out in space, she tumbled in a spin. Her eyes filled with tears, as she again views the cold emptiness in space. Looking at the front of the ship, she pulled the trigger. She felt the heavy recoil of inertia, being pulled down towards earth. But she watches too, as the Jiontradi was reduced to scrap from the blast, which tore through the ship like the burning infernos of hell's deepest core.  
  
Then she felt it, the pain the Leos, Matthias, and Sephiroth felt. She ended there in the fiery abyss. A single flower waved to and fro, at the mercy of the wind. Behind it, the red desert and the setting sky blended together into a portrait of cruel beauty, too soon to vanish. In the sky, streaks of light, like shooting stars 


End file.
